Even though they lost out on Yoshinobu Yamamoto in free agency, the New York Yankees managed to sign Juan Soto this offseason, who is the largest fish in the pond. Of course, in exchange for a year of arbitration before becoming a free agent the following off-season, Soto demanded that the Yankees trade a number of good pitchers to the San Diego Padres.
With just 25 years of age and a career destined for the Hall of Fame, Soto is a player who will most likely stay in the Bronx for the foreseeable future. Having said that, there is a bright spot resulting from the Yankees saving over $300 million on Yamamoto. Yamamoto signed a 12-year, $325 million contract with a $50 million signing bonus, and the Dodgers had to pay the Orix Buffaloes roughly $47 million in posting fees.
Owner Hal Steinbrenner will undoubtedly save a significant amount of money by not signing the elite Japanese international pitcher, and the team will now be able to aggressively pursue a long-term deal with Soto.
Remember that Soto is coming off of another fantastic season in which he hit.275/.410/.519 with 35 home runs, 109 RBIs, and a 155 wRC+. The Yankees have recruited a generational talent to strengthen their batting order, so this is no average 25-year-old. Although he is not the best defensive player, the Yankees can get by with him in the corner outfield position, particularly since he should be an intriguing alternative when batting next to Aaron Judge.
Soto could land a deal in the $400 million range, especially since Yamamoto, a pitcher who has never tossed an MLB in before, landed deal over $300 million. The Yankees need all their money to get the job done, and since a prospective Soto extension wouldn’t kick in until 2025, they will be closer toward the expiration of several contracts.
Notably, DJ LeMahieu’s deal expires after the 2026 season and Giancarlo Stanton has a buyout in 2028 at $10 million. The Yanks will have to pay up in the short term but their long-term financial situation looks good.
